Hope you don't mind but i'm really starting to have fun with these curveball thursdays...Had a few requests for swank lovely and i was happy to oblige. i had almost forgotten how much i loved that early f-troop aesthetic... back when foundation was more lettus bee than corey duffel. while i've always maintained that the star and moon is one of the best graphics of all time, it was nice to revisit all the xeroxed diy-silliness of the rocco/skull skates bastard lovechild.
By no means was swank the best skater in the world (i don't think that was the point) nor am i vouching for his "sorry for being a dick" business moves of the past (the rumored "chocolate flex" would've been fucking weak) but the creativity that flowed through his artwork, 'zines, photography and skating remains to be, what i feel, this honcho's greatest contribution to our culture.
...that and Glam Boys on Wheels.
P.S. I really need to do a GSD post.
16 comments:
I had one Foundation board in my life and it was a circle F with the egg bump concave that Rocco was running in those years. Terrible board.
I remember when that Glam Boys on Wheels came out. Not sure how far up the chain the bullshit started (Rocco, Foundation, distributor, someone else) but out local shop was told we were getting the Blind video but instead we got GBoW. What a terrible turn of events. Just picture a bunch on teenager skate rats waiting around the shop for the shipment to arrive to watch the much anticipated Blind video and we get that! Such a let down. And then we had to wait another what? year for the actual Blind video. suuuuuuuuucked.
I will give Tum Yeto props for being one of the only companies to still be getting their boards pressed in USA.
My favorite post so far and I know that might strike most folks weird, but Tod was an inspiration to my friends and I back in the late 80s with how laid back he was and how he made skateboarding look fun when things would get too serious (Speed Freaks video anyone?).
He took that same attitude to his companies and riders (at least from what I witnessed/heard)... Skateboarding just would not be the same without his influence and ingenuity he brought to the table.
It was a great day when Mark Waters called and put me on flow after I sent in a video. I wish I was good enough to keep up with all the rippers on the team, but I'll gladly take a back seat and just be a fan from afar when I see the talent that has taken a seat (albeit temporarily) under Tod's roof throughout the years.
Regarding their wood press, I've tried every company under the sun and always come back to tum yeto wood..Watson is it?
Request to throw in the hat, any chance of a Youssefpour post?
I always thought he was bald with just a t-shirt in that cover, guess I never saw it that close-up.
Foundation has taken a slide, but I still stand by Toy Machine for the moment and always really liked their boards though its been a minute since I had one.
Oh yea...
www.SkateboardingFoundation.com
Sick. That "five out of five" ad was always one of my favorites cause it was shot behind the LV ramp where we all grew up skating. Final Jeopary answer: (l to r) Matt Moffett, Brent Schnieder, Don LaFave, Marty VanGuilder, Peter Hewitt. Good memories right there...
Chrome Ball Incident:
1.The most addictive website on the internet.
2. The only website on the internet worth visiting.
3. Cheaper than crack.
I fucking love this website.
Great Post--and yeah, a GSD post would rock! Keep up the good work, actually I should say the great work!
Hey Tod, always been a fan of the Circle-F but is there any truth to that tale of you dissing Girl when they were trying to start Chocolate?
Great post btw.
http://www.IgotSwanked.com
awesome
Anyone remember that McTwist with pivot/coping landing he did? I think it was in Poweredge. Insane.
Oh is that what Choco flex is? So out of context. I guess they wanted to get boards made by Watson. I told them I was worried about capacity issues. It was not up to me though. It was Charlie Watson's call. Megan B said in the Choco 15 year article I shut them down. I don't remember that. I have always respected the whole Girl/Chocolate crew. It's not easy to run a skate co. Gotta appreciate it all and everyone around you.
So if I did do something... I'm sorry for being a dick!
www.walkfan.com
didn't mean any disrespect, tod.
i was referring to that chocolate article as well as this:
www.tumyeto.com/newspost/5514/im+sorry+once+again/
and this:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Leo+Romero.-a0153094322
not meaning to put you on trial here (aftr all, who the fuck am I?)... i actually thought that since the chocolate thing was so long ago (and spoken about so freely) in addition to leo being back in the tum yeto fam with that amazing ad that this was all just water under the bridge.
i don't mean for these posts to be anything other than a show of respect.
So... I'm sorry for being a dick!
made a couple of edits on this one out of fairness to Mr. Swank and Mr. Lovely.
Chops and other CBI posse,
Hey no worries. I'm not stressing at all. No disrespect taken. I've learned the heat comes with the territory. Especially for anxiety overloaded, socially inept dudes like myself.
Thanks all for props on TY and our family of brands.
Rock on.
PS we have all those social websites for our brands if you want to keep up on the hype.
I am so stoked that you posted on Swank. I have been waiting for this. Such a good presence in San Diego with the Zines, Bands like Crank Shaft playing at skate houses, spontaneous slappie contests, the photos and everything else. Tod Swank was a massive influence on me as a kid and he left a major impact on the aesthetic of skating even before his underground company became a supercompany.
Thank you!!!
Jamiesinger!
Thanks for the props. Gotta love SD proper.
Let's keep on killing it
http://www.SkateboardingFoundation.com
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